Quick Poll/ Survey Results

What is a Quick Poll?

ACM regularly asks member museums to complete a Quick Poll so that museums can learn of the latest trends in children's museums. Do you have a question you would like to ask children's museums? Email Victoria Garvin, program officer, membership.

Quick Poll: Early Literacy (July 2011)

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Quick Poll: Mobile Apps & Museums (October 2010)

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Quick Poll: Branding & Marketing (June 2010)

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InterActivity 2010 Post Conference Survey (May 2010)

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Quick Poll: Earned Income Needs (February 2010)

ACM surveyed children’s museum executive directors (62 respondents) to assess the continuing need for professional development specifically related to earned income and to collect feedback on products proposed to address this continuing need. Ninety percent of respondents affirmed the need for comparative data on earned income for children’s museums, explaining that this data would be useful to make pricing and budgeting decisions. Ninety-five percent of respondents affirmed the need for case studies of specific earned income strategies. Thirteen museum leaders indicated that their institutions have implemented a unique source of earned income that could be shared as a model for the field.

Museums responses showed:

  1. Do you have a need for comparative data on earned income for children’s museums?
    Yes: 90.3% (56 respondents)
    No: 3.2% (2 respondents)
    Don’t Know: 6.5% (4 respondents)

  2. Would case studies of specific earned income strategies be useful for your museum?
    Yes: 95.2% (59 respondents)
    No: 1.6% (1 respondent)
    Don’t Know: 3.2% (2 respondents)

  3. If yes, which areas of earned income should ACM explore?

  4. Would a sample earned income plan be beneficial to your museum?
    Yes: 80.6% (50 respondents)
    No: 6.5% (4 respondent)
    Don’t Know: 12.9% (8 respondents)

  5. Does your museum seem to outperform others in a specific category of earned income?
    Yes: 44.3% (24 respondents)
    No: 55.7% (29 respondents)

  6. Does your museum have a unique source of earned income that could be a model for the field?
    Yes: 23.2% (13 respondents)
    No: 76.8% (43 respondents)
    Read descriptions of unique sources of earned income.

Questions? Contact Jeannette Thomas, program officer, membership.

 

Learn how
to market your museum
in an economic downturn

Quick Poll: Summer Attendance Trends (August 2009)

July 2009 Attendance Trends

More than 100 international and U.S. museums museums responded to the Summer Attendance Trends Quick Poll. Children’s museum CEOs compared July 2009 attendance at their museums with attendance in July 2008.

The good news is that U.S. attendance, on average, was higher in July 2009, than in July 2008. The bad news is that internationally, as well as in certain U.S. states, attendance was lower when compared to July 2008.

Eight charts describe attendance trends in six regions of the United States and internationally. Each chart uses a percentage to show how much higher or lower attendance was in July 2009, when compared to July 2008.

>>>Download a printer-friendly version of the Summer Attendance Trends Report with all charts

Considerations
This poll gives a broad idea of attendance trends in by country, region and state. Multiple factors influenced the results.

  • Not all countries, regions and states had the same number of museums report attendance.
  • Some museums have raised their admission prices in the previous year, while others retained the same pricing structure or did not charge admission.
  • Other museums expanded their buildings or opened major, new exhibits, which influenced attendance.
  • Weather affected attendance: some respondents stated that rainy weather was a positive influence.

Bottom line — although the economic downturn has affected every museum, it is not the sole, determining factor for museum attendance.

Questions? Contact Jeannette Thomas, Program Officer, Membership.

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